Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh, March 21-
Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, on Friday, said that CM Bhagwant Singh Mann led government is rationalizing canal water distribution to ensure water reaches tail-end areas and districts receiving less canal water.
The Cabinet Minister said, Mann government has increased water allowance (canal water allocation per thousand acres) by 50 percent from two cusecs to three cusecs in many districts to ensure that areas with higher groundwater extraction receive canal water on a priority.
Responding to a question of Dharamkot MLA S. Davinderjeet Singh Laddi Dhose regarding providing canal water and constructing water-courses in his constituency, the Cabinet Minister said that water allowance in many districts is 6 to 8 cusecs, while in districts like Sangrur, Barnala, Patiala and Mansa, it is only two cusecs. As a result, groundwater is being extracted in larger quantities in these districts. He said that work is being done on a priority in districts with higher water extraction to save groundwater.